Flying Death
by goldengal
Summary: ...and there it stood atop a pile of bones,the beast from his nightmare in all its horror. It walked towards him like a hunter about to devour its helplwss prey.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1A VERY STRANGE ENCOUNTER

Jack always found nightfall in the jungle to be peaceful. That particular night was especially lovely because of the fall moon. Unfortunately, Jack had no time to admire the scenery. For the last couple of days someone had been following him..Although he had altered his direction a number of times he still did not manage to shake his persistent stalker. Whoever it was had gotten very close now and so Jack waited. As he starred into the flames of his dying campfire he could hear the footsteps behind him. One… two... three… Jack silently counted. The mysterious figure was drawing ever nearer. Finally Jack spoke

"Who are you?" he asked

"They call me Wolfe. As you've probably figured I've been tracking you for a while now so I'm going to have a seat to catch my breath, he said briskly.

Without waiting for Jack to reply he collapsed on the ground. During this period of awkward silence Jack studied the strange man's features.

He looked to be in his late thirties. He carried two large swords, a hunting knife and a number of guns .He wore a black vest. Tattoos covered his arms back and chest .He had olive skin with dark hair hanging loosely over his face. He had his nose and one of his ears pierced. His teeth resembled fangs and some of them were gold. His most striking feature was his eyes. They were bright green and seemed to glow.

After what seemed like hours, Wolfe finally spoke again.

"I used to work for Aku. In fact I used to be known as the Hand of Aku. I oversaw the building of his robot army and I was one of his Generals. Back in the day I was the most feared man on this planet. Then you came along and everything changed. You destroyed thousands of our robotic troops and as if that wasn't enough you also helped the scientists who were building them escape off planet. One day Aku sent me to wipe out a bunch of highland savages and because of the diminished size of the army I was outnumbered and outclassed. I barely escaped with my life. Aku of course didn't take this defeat lightly. He ordered me to be scourged and crucified. It was horrible I was stripped naked and tied to a post while two people flogged my legs back and buttocks. They used a leather whip which had iron balls and animal bones attached to it. It ripped out several chunks of my skin every time it landed on me. By the time they were finished the ground was stained red by my blood. Then they nailed me to a tree. I hung there in excruciating pain for what seemed to be forever. When I didn't die fast enough for Aku's liking he sent his people to break my legs. Shortly after that I died. I could literally see my ravaged body hanging from the tree as my soul ascended towards the heavens. It was bliss. Then I heard a voice. It told me that I had to go back because I had a task that needed to be completed. Then I came back to life. It was at about that time that I was rescued by a group of monks.

They nursed me back to health but my recovery wasn't easy. I was suffering from extreme shock, exposure and dehydration. My wounds had become infected and my arms were paralyzed. I was bedridden for three months. It was during this time that I took a good look at the person that I was and I didn't like him one bit.

I decided to change and it was at about that time that I started to get better. I never fully recovered though. I lost the ability to feel pain and I'm wearing a prosthetic leg. But none of that really matters though because now I know why I was sent back. I was given this second chance at life inorder to help you kill Aku., "said Wolfe Jack kept silent for a few seconds. He was stunned. He ciuld see the conviction on the other man's face.

"How can you help me?" he asked finally.

"My friends and I have devised a means of tracking Aku's movement, so even though he's always moving his palace around we know where he is,"

"Friends?"

"I'm talking about the rebels,"

Jack had heard rumors of a rebellion for some time but he had never actually seen any of its participants. His mind was racing.

"I know that you have a lot of questions but to fully understand what I am saying you need to follow me to their headquarters in the mountains,"

"When do we leave?'


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Welcome to Avernus

The sky was pitch black. There was no moon, no stars nothing but the blood red clouds that smeared across the horizon. The ground was scorched and rugged. Jack felt like he was in an inferno. He tried to take a step forward but couldn't because of the agonizing pain that was coming from his chest. He looked down and froze in terror as he saw the huge slash which ran all the way from his breast to his navel. His kimono was covered in blood- his blood. Then he realized that his sword was gone. He shivered. He had no memory of how he had lost his weapon or how he had been wounded. Then a horrible thought crossed his mind that made him break out in a cold sweat.

'_Could I have been killed/"_

"Yes,'

Jack spun around and came face to face with Wolfe. He was as white as snow and the skin on his face seemed to be rotting. His eyes held a deranged look.

"It cannot be,'

'Sorry man but that's the brakes,'

'How, who?"

"Aku ran you through with a daikatana,'

'Never,'

'It's not like you didn't put up a good fight. It's just the demon had a little help,"

Jack was confused. The thought of being killed by Aku revolted him. It just wasn't possible.

'If you're still having doubts look at your chest again,'

Reluctantly Jack obeyed. To his horror he realized that his flesh appeared to be rotting.

"That'll continue until you turn into a rotting corpse,"

"If I am truly dead then why am I not with my ancestors?'

'See that's the glitch. Aku didn't stop at just killing you. He made sure that you were damned."

Jack starred at Wolfe unable to comprehend what he had just heard. Then he noticed the slash on the other man's neck.

'Admiring your handiwork/'

'What?'

"Took me head clean off with just one blow. Didn't think you had it in you,"

'I would never,'

Wolfe took a menacing step forward.

'_This must be an illusion. It has to be,"_ Jack thought.

"Where are we,' asked Jack in a voice barely above a whisper.

"This place has many names. Hell Taratrus, Avernus, are only a few. The most important thing that you're stuck here forever with us,"

All of a sudden Jack was surrounded by ever human, alien or demon that he had ever killed. Before he knew it he was on the ground being beaten mercilessly. Although he no longer had a physical body, he was able to feel the pain of every blow.

'_How could this have happened?"_ he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter3: The Mountains

Jack awoke in a cold sweat. He had never had a dream that felt so real. It frightened him. Could it be some sort of omen? Perhaps a higher power was trying to warn him. He shook those last thoughts out of his mind. After all it was only a dream, and a ridicules one at that. He had just met Wolfe but he trusted him completely. He didn't enjoy killing and the thought of decapitating someone sickened him. Then he remembered seeing the fatal wound that Aku had inflicted upon him. It seemed almost laughable now that he was awake. He took a deep breath. Maybe the dream meant something else. Whatever it was he resolved not to let it interfere with his mission. He went back to sleep feeling much better.

Two days later Jack had all but forgotten his nightmare. He was happy to be out of the sweltering climate of the jungle and he could see the outline of the mountains in the horizon.

"We're getting close now. It's not safe for me to talk about our plan here. Aku might be watching. He can't see where going besides I want you to meet the rebels. In the past couple of months they've become my family. Family, for so long I had forgotten what that word actually meant. After I left the care of the monks I decided to go back to my hometown and visit my parents. What I saw shocked me. The town I knew, the town I grew up in had been destroyed by the same beast that had taken my life! He set up his cursed religion-Akuisim and made every town erect a shrine in his honor. His so caked priests made sure that everybody worked, even my father, who was in his seventies. One day he couldn't keep up and was beaten to death by his taskmasters. They wouldn't even let my mother bury him. After the shrine was completed everyone was made to bow down and worship Aku. My mother refused. As her punishment she was burned alive. I keep thinking that if I had only been there I could have saved them. After I. 'heard what had happened to my parents I grabbed an axe and rallied an angry mob together. We tore apart that shrine killed all of the priests. After that we went into hiding and that's how the rebellion started," said Wolfe before turning away. He didn't want Jack to see the anguish on his face.

Jack kept silent He marveled at a world where a man could suffer so profoundly. Then he thought about what Aku had done to his own life and it sickened him. He clenched his fist and looked towards the mountains.

The next day they reached the base of the mountains but instead of climbing Wolfe ran his hands over the chiseled rock as if he was searching for something. He did this for a few minutes until he found a shallow crater about the size of his fist. Then he produced a stone talisman from his pocket. Placing it in the crater he rotated his palm counter clockwise. Suddenly the mountain began to shimmer and for the briefest of seconds they could make out the image of an owl carved into the rock. Jack gasped as Wolfe's entire body seemed to melt into the mountain. Then he heard a piercing shriek. He leaned against the rock and to his horror, his body passed through it as if it were liquid. When he had reached the other side what he saw almost made him scream too.

It was the most gruesome thing that Jack had ever seen. Dead bodies were lying everywhere. He saw Wolfe standing in the corner, his glazed eyes transfixed on a message written in blood.

_"General, it seems as though you have miscalculated again. I have taken some of your miserable rebels. If you like you can pay me a visit. Give my regards to the samurai._

_Love, Aku"._

Jack was speechless. He was overcome with hatred for Aku and pity for Wolfe. He heard something faint and realized that it was the sound of breathing. Someone was still alive.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter4 The Order of Epsilon

Jack felt as if he was trapped in a nightmare. He scanned the area frantically searching for the source of that faint breathing which was becoming shallower by the second. He noticed that the walls were covered by strange symbols, most of which were covered with blood. The smell of rotting flesh was choking him. As he gingerly stepped over body after body, he took note of the manner in which they had been killed. Some had been burned, others had been stabbed.

"Aku," he whispered in disgust.

Then he felt something claw like digging into his foot. He looked down and saw a frail creature with blue-gray skin, a birdlike face and large round eyes looking up at him. He was bleeding profusely from a gaping wound on his chest. By the way he was dressed; Jack guessed that he was a monk. He knelt down beside him.

'When did this happen?" he asked

"A few hours before you came,'

'Did anyone escape?"

"Some of my brethren did,"

Then Wolfe appeared beside him.

'Brother Caleb," he said sadly

Caleb looked at Wolfe and then turned back to Jack. He opened his mouth as if to say something but instead began to cough up blood. He screamed in agony as his body convulsed. Then he shouted four words which sent chills down Jack's spine.

"I WILL BE AVENGED"

Then he died. Wolfe buried his head in his hands and didn't speak for a long time.

"Aku will pay for this," he said finally, through clenched teeth.

Then he stood up and walked away.

By this time the sun was setting and it was decided that it would be best for them to spend the night in a nearby inn. The rooms were shabby and the floors creaked but Jack didn't mind. Wolfe had barely spoken on the journey there. He could feel his rage burning like an uncontrollable fire deep inside him. He sat down on one of the rickety twin beds that had been haphazardly crammed into the tiny room and began to speak.

"Someone betrayed us. There's no way Aku could have found out about us. Anyway there's no secret anymore. I might as well tell about our plan. Before I was crucified Aku had been planning to build a fortress in the Badlands. He told me that he was tired of moving around and that when it was completed nobody could penetrate its defenses, not even you. Last month one of my inside sources said that it was completed. The place is practically impenetrable. Aku surrounded it with demons and hundreds of thousands of robotic troops. I had practically given up all hope of getting inside until he told me about the secret passage," he said

'Secret passage?"

"There was an explosion in the mines. They discovered a tunnel which leads directly into the palace. Nobody told Aku about it. But getting through the mines is the easy part. To reach the Badlands one would have to go through some pretty dangerous territory. Aku made it in such a way that one would have to go through Parsons, cross River Mongue and go through the Dark Forest which Aku filled with demons. The monks agreed to fashion us charms that would give us protection from any evil spirit but they were murdered before they had the chance to finish,"

'They must have been very powerful,"

"Yes, they belonged to a society called The Order of Epsilon,"

"That name sounds familiar,"

"They've been around for thousands of years. They went underground when Aku took over the world. They are a group of people that are dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. Those monks were the best healers mathematicians, scientists everything. They were even skilled in magic. Before they found me on that tree, they had even been dabbling into time travel,"

Jack's heart skipped a beat. He cursed Aku inwardly

'Perhaps that's why Aku killed them."

"I'm sure. He's using the rebels as bait. He wants us to come and that will be his undoing. I have a guy in Parsons that can help us. We'll go there tomorrow,"

Jack awoke in the middle of the night with a start. He could tell that something was wrong but he couldn't tell what it was. He looked at Wolfe, who was tossing and turning on the other bed. He rolled over and reached for his sword. All of a sudden he felt a presence. Although he was unable to see it he knew that it was sitting on the bed right next to him. It seemed almost familiar.

"Be weary samurai ,things are not always as they seem,' he heard it whisper

Wolfe rolled over and opened his eyes. Then the presence vanished. After a few seconds Wolfe went back to sleep.. For some reason Jack's mind wandered back to his conversation with Caleb.

'When did this happen?" he remembered asking

"A few hours before you came,'

'Did anyone escape?"

"Some of my brethren did,"

"They're still out there," Jack whispered.


End file.
